


Jethro's Father's Day

by Musichick2004



Series: Old and New [4]
Category: NCIS
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-19
Updated: 2016-06-20
Packaged: 2018-07-16 01:07:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,106
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7246066
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Musichick2004/pseuds/Musichick2004
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's Father's day at Casa de Gibbs</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Tony rolled over and knew he was alone in bed. The sheets were cold; he'd been alone for a while. He glanced at his phone and winced when he saw the time. 0630. So much for Father's day brunch in bed. 

*****

Abby woke Nate while Katherine fed Anna. "Hey man, wakie wakie,"

Nate pulled a pillow over his head and groaned. "No. Too early. Go 'way."

"No deal. You agreed. I swear I will tickle you. Grown up or not. Ask Tony." Abby curled her fingers and crouched, prepared to attack when Nate rolled over.

"Fine, fine, I believe you!" He held up his hands in surrender. "Gimme 15 minutes." He stood and shoved Abby out the door, locking it behind her.

"He up?" Katherine asked as Abby skipped back into the room. 

"Yup." She beamed proudly.

Katherine chuckled at the grin that had been plastered across Abby's face all morning. And they hadn't even had time for each other yet. She was just ecstatic to be able to participate in their plans for Jethro today. Katherine tried to talk her down, but she wouldn't hear any of it. She just  _knew_ Jethro would be happy. Katherine gave her some tasks that would keep her busy at first so she could test the waters.

"Ok, ok, she all set?" Nate grumbled at the door. He loved his little sister, but hated mornings even more.

"Don't look so enthused," Katherine said, kindly, "she's happy to see YOU." Anna was reaching for Nate and blowing raspberries.

Nate smiled,  "c'mere drooly." He took her from his mom's arms and tossed her lightly in the air, drawing out a squeal and a giggle. 

"Two hours, hon. Don't forget the diaper bag, I packed everything last night." Katherine beamed now, watching her 18 year old son playing with her 6 month old daughter. "You know, I don't think she'd mind being an auntie when she's in middle school... Just sayin'"

Nate rolled his eyes, "God, mom, seriously?"

Katherine laughed, "go to the park, have a good time, and I'll see you soon. Thank you honey."

Nate left, and Katherine turned to Abby. "Ok, you gather stuff in the kitchen, I'll find Tony." 

"Deal." Abby stood up straight and saluted her before running downstairs.

Katherine followed, and found Tony in the dining room. "What's up?"

Tony tilted his head toward the basement, where they both saw a crack of light coming from under the door.

"How long?" Katherine asked.

"I got up an hour and a half ago, and the bed was cold. Rock paper scissors?" Tony wasn't sure which of them would be better to talk to him. 

Katherine sat with him and rubbed his arm. "You got this. I'll take care of stuff up here." Tony sighed and nodded, bringing two cups of coffee to the basement.

"Hey," he said, as he descended the stairs. When he got no response, he crossed the basement and set the coffees on the work bench. He turned to Jethro's back, hunched over a low dresser he'd been working on for 2 weeks. Slowly he stepped toward him and rested his hands on Jethro's hips. "Y'ok?"

Jethro hands stilled and he rested his weight on them, "Yup."

Tony turned Jethro gently, and wrapped his arms around his waist. "Sure?"

Jethro dropped the sandpaper onto the surface now behind him, and sighed. "Yeah. Just busy."

Tony smiled gently, "I call bullshit."

Jethro met his eyes, "Not your call."

Tony just stared back, waiting. It was a classic Gibbs move, but it always worked for him. Finally, Jethro's emotional wall cracked just a bit. He closed his eyes and tried to pull away from Tony. "Nope," Tony said, holding his grip around Jethro's waist. "No running."

"Tony," Jethro tried to make his name into a warning, but it came out strained. He swallowed hard and his shoulders fell. He knew Tony wouldn't let go until he said  _something,_ or they had a fight. And he wasn't up for a fight today. "Fine. Not a good day for me."

"I figured," Tony responded, but didn't let go. He gazed into the ice blue eyes he loved so much, and just waited for him to melt. It worked.

"Tone, how can I have a Father's day without my girls? I've just ignored the day before. But I can't now. I don't want to be a bastard, but how can I celebrate if Kelly isn't here?" His heart was beating hard in his chest, threatening to bring tears to his eyes. 21 Father's days and he'd survived, some years with minimal bastardness and isolation, but this year brought his pain roaring back to the surface. He hadn't been home for several of the 8 Father's days he had with Kelly, always vowing to be home 'next time,' and the guilt of that still haunted him.

Tony slid one hand up Jethro's back and pulled him closer. "Would she want to celebrate?" He kissed his lover on the cheek, stroking up and down his spine.

Jethro looked at something behind Tony, and inhaled deeply. Tony turned and saw a manilla envelope tucked high above the work bench. He looked at Jethro for confirmation, and, noting the slight nod, leaned on the bench and pulled it down. He handed it to Jethro, who pulled the contents out slightly. "I didn't know Shannon kept it all. All the cards she and Kelly made me. Birthdays, father's days, all of it." Tony spied construction paper, crayon, glitter, paint, everything a kid would use to make cards.

"May I?" He held out his hand and Jethro set the envelope into it. Tony slid the cards out and selected 3 that seemed to be the most personally made for Father's day. One even said "since we can't see each other..." "Let's give Kelly a place, OK?"

Jethro nodded, taking the rest of the cards back and sliding the envelope back into its place. "Still gonna make me come upstairs?"

Tony nodded. "Abby's excited. I kinda am too." He placed a hand on Jethro's cheek and stroked it with his thumb. "You're a great dad, you deserve a little acknowledgement."

Jethro tried to hide the flush he felt rise along his neck. Tony didn't say anything, just kissed him lightly and patted his cheek. "See you soon, ok?" Jethro nodded and Tony headed upstairs with his coffee.


	2. Chapter 2

Jethro worked for a while longer, letting the wood ground him. Feeling the surface change, little by little, as he worked it, was what he always hoped for himself. Except he never noticed change. He still felt like the same old bastard, rough around the edges and giving everyone splinters. Except Tony wasn't afraid to run his fingers across those edges, always coming back, no matter the injury. Maybe he couldn't smooth himself, but he'd trust Tony to take over for a bit. He set the tools down and headed upstairs.

Halfway up the stairs, he smelled delicious food. And more coffee. Mostly he wanted coffee. He tried to slip into the kitchen unnoticed, but heard a squeal and 'dadadadada'...his tiniest housemate ratted him out.

"Heya squirt," he said, as he scooped Anna into his arms and rubbed her belly with his nose. That seemed to be her favorite thing ever, so he couldn't stop doing it. 

"Hey hot stuff. Sit, relax, here's some more coffee," Tony presented him with a fresh cup and gestured toward the couch. Jethro cocked an eyebrow, but tucked his tot on his hip and bounced her into the living room --never spilling a drop of his precious elixir.

Soon enough, he heard another young voice from the kitchen, and Nate came through the door, leaping over a chair to beat Abby to a pile of gifts from behind the couch. "Ha! Take that!"

He grinned as Abby pouted, "you cheated! No jumping chairs!"

"Whatever! Sore loser," and he stuck his tongue out at her. She repeated the action until Katherine and Tony came in the room, Katherine rolling her eyes.

"Children, fight nice," she said, as she presented Jethro with a tray of food. "Tony provided the tray...I'm assuming you made it?"

Jethro laughed, "yeah...breakfast in bed on Valentine's day." 

"I'm not particularly original. Wish I was." Katherine smiled. She'd made a beautiful souffle and Abby had made sausage and bacon, Tony had made stuffed crepes. All in all, a breakfast that had his mouth watering.

"We could all eat at the table, ya know." He narrowed his eyes at them all.

"Yeah well the plan was to give yoy breakfast in bed...so the couch will have to do. And, it looks like you're down a piece of soufflé." Katherine laughed as Anna plunged her hand into the plate before her. "I guess we're not waiting the extra week to introduce solids."

Jethro took a look at his little family and passed the tray to Tony. "Get to the table!" He shouted, but with a smile. They all scrabbled, and he secured the baby in her seat next to him. "Now, everyone, eat." They tried to present him with cards and gifts, but he shook his head and just waved at the food. Finally, they all are their fill, and Jethro just settled back on his chair. He pretended not to notice Tony nod to Nate, and Nate slip to the living room.

"Alright, here. Since we can't possibly surprise you,..." Nate handed Jethro three boxes. One was quite large and definitely wooden. He saved that for last.

The medium box was from Abby and the rest of the NCIS team. It was several small detail tools whose deteriorating condition he'd been lamenting over for weeks. Obviously, Tony had a hand in the selection, since he was the only one in the basement on a regular basis, and could have let them know what he needed. "Thank you. Really."

Abby grinned, "Gibbs, you take care of every detail for your family, so you deserve some new tools for your own details. And these have squishy stuff on the handles so it's easier on your hands!" 

The tiny gift sat on the table, and he unwrapped it carefully. "A computer stick?"

Katherine laughed, "A memory stick. We scanned as many things as we could find, pictures, school work, anything, and put it on there so you'd have it forever." 

Nate beamed, "I totally took over the computer lab at school for like a week doing it. Now, this one!"

Jethro smirked at his lover's shifting and obvious anxiousness as he lifted the larger gift. That and Katherine's smug smirk told him who the gift was from. He tore the paper and gaped. Nate couldn't hold his laughter any more. "What the? You had me make my own gift?" He tried to look irritated, but it didn't last long as he saw the pride in their faces.

"Tony thought of the gift.  _I_ was the one who suggested one of Nate's friends purchase the frame directly from you," Katherine said with a big grin.

Tony immediately followed her, "And really, if we wanted to get you something like this, no WAY would you have been satisfied with anything short of perfection. So we figured we'd buy one from the biggest perfectionist we know."

Jethro nodded and smiled. They were right, of course. He remembered building the shadowbox, and it _was_ pretty damn perfect. However, as he finished pulling the paper off the front, his breath caught. Inside were not only bits and pieces of his life with Anna, but pieces from Nate, and they'd gathered a few things from Kelly too. He felt his heart beating harder as he inspected the contents. Photos, from as recent as last week, and some almost 30 years old. Handprints--Anna's recent, next to Kelly's older, faded ones, even Nate had thrown in a few splotches too. Mementos like a hospital bracelet, the broken sunglasses Anna had tossed across the room the first time she actually got a hold of them, and an old, tattered stuffed kitten. Jethro ran his fingers across the glass over the kitten and glanced at Anna now, mouthing a very similar rattley toy. 

"You guys left some stuff at our house, for when you visited. I found the box when we moved Mama to the nursing home," Katherine explained, quietly. 

Jethro smiled, with joy and tears in his eyes. This was a perfect gift from his 3 children. Two biologically, and one who'd chosen him as a father figure. He couldn't come up with the words, so he just nodded.


End file.
